Innovation & New Product Development Manager

Position: Innovation & New Product Development Manager

Department: Marketing & Procurement

Reports to: Director of Marketing & Procurement

About Us:

Finica Food Specialties Limited is an importer and distributor of specialty and gourmet items from around the world. We have been in operation since 1968. Today, Finica Foods Specialties Limited operates as a sister company of Atalanta. We continue to capitalize on our experience in importing cheese and fine food with a clear mandate to represent our suppliers through aggressive category management.

Our customer base includes retail supermarket chains, independent boutiques, and food service chains and independents. Our distribution network is made up of specialty cheese and food distributors across Canada. Some of the brands we represent in the cheese market today are Celebrity Goat Cheeses, Beemster, Zerto, Snowdonia, Collier’s and Sartori.

About the Position:

As the Innovation & New Product Development Manager, you will be responsible to enhance Finica’s portfolio with brands and/or products that meet an ever-changing consumer landscape. The candidate is responsible for managing high-priority CPG innovation opportunities and vetting their readiness for the Canadian market and should have a passion for food and food innovation.

Additionally, the position requires experience in market research, data analytics, logistics, and product development from inception through to deployment. As the Innovation & New Product Development Manager, you will be required to demonstrate excellent product & project management skills, strong interpersonal skills, and experience in conducting business presentations with colleagues and business partners.

Main Activities

•Monitoring trends in various market sectors to enhance Finica’s growth opportunities

•Working closely with internal/ external stakeholders

•Formalizing concepts into compelling, profitable, and differentiated value propositions (scope, benefits/values, competitive benchmark, targeted pricing, go-to-market strategy, etc.)

Required Qualification & Skills

•University degree in Business

•At least 5 years of experience in CPG

•Broad knowledge in NPD and Innovation

•Proven working experience with global vendors

•Excellent MS Office tools skills, in particular, PowerPoint & Excel

•Excellent written and oral communication skills

•Periodic travel is a requirement